Embodiments herein generally relate to electrostatic printers and copiers or reproduction machines, and more particularly, concerns a campaign management system and method for managing multiple direct mail jobs.
During 2007 marketers in the U.S. spent total of $55.3 billion in direct mail, driving $686.7 billion in sales. By 2012, it is anticipated that American business will spend $61.7 billion on direct mail. In comparison $1.2 billion will be spent on e-mail marketing and $39.7 billion will be spent on Internet (non-e-mail) marketing. In 2012, 27% of marketing budgets will be allocated to direct mail.
The embodiments herein offer reverse auctioning tools for print procurement, which allow print vendors to generate savings for customers by selecting and awarding print jobs to supply vendors who offer lowest pricing and optimum production methods, based upon contractual rates (and capability) submitted by the supply vendors. By including direct mail in the total print volume they procure, print vendors will be able to increase the savings they can offer to their customers. Also, by allowing print procurement potentially without rate cards, print vendors will have the option of working with supply vendors who do not want to submit or negotiate direct mail pricing through rate cards.
More specifically, embodiments herein include a machine-implemented method that receives job specifications for a plurality of direct mail printing jobs from at least one user and automatically groups the multiple direct mail printing jobs into at least one campaign, using a computerized or processor-based machine. The machine automatically creates a plurality of workflows related to direct mail printing jobs within a campaign. Each of the workflows comprises at least one job activity.
The machine automatically transmits requests for bids on these job activities within the workflow to entities (e.g., supply vendors) to allow the entities to bid on performing the job activities. In response, the machine will receive bids on the job activities from the entities. In addition, the machine may receive user bid selection. The machine automatically selects winning bids on an individual job activity-by job activity basis from the bids received from the entities and/or previously established rate cards of the entities. In addition, winning bid recommendations from the machine can be combined with user input to select the ultimate winning bids.
The machine automatically combines the bids to provide cost and completion estimates for each of the workflows and the machine automatically combines estimates for the workflows to produce an overall estimate for the campaign. The overall estimate for the campaign is output to the user for review and approval. In response, the machine receives campaign modification input from the user and modifies the campaign according to the campaign modification input (through at least one iteration). The machine then performs the workflows to output the direct-mail printing jobs within the campaign.
The workflows comprise at least one of form workflows, list processing workflows, personalization workflows, open workflows, etc. The list processing workflows and the personalization workflows have multiple components as part of the job specifications. The list processing workflows have lists of direct mail recipients to process. The personalization workflows have a plurality of personalization, mail preparation, and finishing components.
More specifically, regarding each of the individual and job activities within each of the workflows, the form workflows comprise at least one of prepress activities, press activities, inline operation activities, ink supply activities, paper supply activities, etc. The list processing workflows comprise at least one of list processing setup activities, file preparation activities, file manipulation activities, postal pre-sorting activities, suppression activities, processing and output activities, custom programming activities, electronic output activities, etc. The personalization workflows comprise at least one of personalization preparation activities, image digitalization activities, text preparation activities, personalization proofing activities, ink jet imaging activities, laser imaging activities, scitex imaging activities, burst/trim/folding activities, inserting activities, stacking activities, card affixing activities, cut sheet folding activities, cut sheet trimming activities, gluing activities, die cutting activities, die manufacture activities, match mailing activities, packed proofing activities, labeling activities, mailing security activities, spoils recovery activities, sorting activities, postage affixing activities, electronic production (EPRO) activities, etc. The open item workflows comprise at least one of digital print activities, commercial print activities, envelope activities, label activities, custom activities, etc. With embodiments herein, bids are received for each of the foregoing activities and the embodiments herein select each bid on an individual job activity-by job activity basis from among all of the foregoing activities.
Apparatus embodiments herein include a computer storage media storing instructions and a processor operatively connected to the computer storage media, that performs the instructions. In addition, a graphic user interface, input-output, etc., is/are operatively connected to the processor. The graphic user interface and/or input-output receives job specifications for a plurality of direct mail printing jobs from at least one user.
The processor automatically groups the direct mail printing jobs into at least one campaign and the processor automatically creates a plurality of workflows related to direct mail printing jobs within a campaign. Again, each of the workflows comprises at least one job activity.
The input-output automatically transmits requests for bids on the job activities within the workflow to entities to allow the entities to bid on performing the job activities, and the input-output receives bids on the job activities from the entities. The graphic user interface can receive user bid selection and/or the processor can automatically select winning bids on an individual job activity-by job activity basis from the bids received from the entities and/or previously established rate cards of the entities.
The processor automatically combines the bids to provide cost and completion estimates for each of the workflows and combines the estimates for the workflows as an overall estimate for the campaign. The graphic user interface outputs the overall estimate for the campaign to the user and, in response, can receive campaign modification input from the user in response. The processor can modify the campaign according to the campaign modification input (through at least one iteration). Finally, the processor performs the workflows to output, through the input-output, the direct-mail printing jobs within the campaign.
These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description.